Posts Tagged ‘Astrue v. Capato’

MAY 28, 2012 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 21
The United States Supreme Court doesn’t very often weigh in on Social Security rules, so when it does those of us in the elder and disability law community pay attention. Last week’s decision by the Court, interpreting Social Security regulations as applied to posthumously conceived children, addressed interesting questions of law, science and public policy.

Here are the bare facts: Robert and Karen Capato lived in Florida. Robert was being treated for esophageal cancer, and before chemotherapy and radiation treatment began the couple preserved a sample of Robert’s sperm. That way, Karen would be able to conceive another child (the couple had one child together already) by Robert even if his treatment left him infertile — or even if he died.

Robert Capato did die of cancer. Nine months after his death Karen became pregnant using his banked sperm. Eighteen months after Robert’s death she delivered twins.

Karen applied for Social Security survivors benefits for the twins. Citing Florida law on inheritance rights, the Social Security Administration denied the benefits (presumably the couple’s child conceived and born before Robert’s death qualified for benefits). The federal District Court agreed with Social Security, but the federal Court of Appeals reversed that decision and ruled in favor of Karen and the twins. The U.S. Supreme Court sided with Social Security, reversed the Court of Appeals and sent the entire case back for a final determination. Astrue v. Capato, May 21, 2012.

But what’s most interesting about the Supreme Court’s decision may be what it doesn’t decide. It does not rule that no child conceived and born after the death of the child’s father can ever receive Social Security benefits on that father’s work record. It does not bar careful planners from preserving future benefits for children born as a result of in vitro fertilization. Instead, it holds that the basic test is whether state law — usually the state law where the father dies — controls whether the posthumously conceived child is entitled to Social Security survivors benefits.

The Court unanimously ruled that Social Security is only available to survivors who are determined to be heirs of the deceased worker. In Florida, said the Justices, that would not include children conceived after the death of their father. Florida’s probate code expressly excludes after-conceived children, and Robert Capato’s will did not make reference to children who might be conceived after his death.

But does Florida law apply in this case? Probably — but the Justices left open the possibility that the trial judge could find otherwise after a new hearing. Interestingly, Karen Capato moved to New Jersey while pregnant with the twins, and she argued (unsuccessfully, so far) that New Jersey law should apply to the determination of paternity.

Can we infer the answers to some of the obvious questions you might ask? Perhaps — but not conclusively, of course.

If Florida changed its law to make posthumously conceived children entitled to intestate inheritance, would that change the result for the Capato twins? Probably not — but it should change the result for future Florida residents in similar circumstances.

If Robert Capato’s will had specifically mentioned the children he might have in the future, would that have changed the outcome? Hard to say, but tantalizingly interesting. Apparently, Robert and Karen specifically mentioned their intention to preserve sperm for future in vitro fertilization to the lawyer who prepared Robert’s will. Should he of she have included the unknown future children as beneficiary’s of Robert’s estate? Perhaps that would have changed the result.

What if Robert Capato had lived — and died — in Arizona? It’s not clear. Arizona’s probate code does not expressly define posthumously conceived children as either included or not included in the list of intestate heirs. No Arizona appellate case has decided the question, either (though there is at least one reported Arizona case involving the status of sperm intended to be preserved for possible future in vitro fertilization).

What about the laws of intestate succession in other states? Well, we’re not qualified or inclined to render legal opinions about other state laws. But we will note that the Supreme Court specifically pointed to the intestacy laws of several states as dealing with posthumously conceived children. Among the states with some treatment of the question (in addition to Florida) the Court included California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, South Carolina and South Dakota. There is no mention of New Jersey law — the law Karen Capato would like to apply to the twins’ claim.

Want to read the entire opinion — or even listen to the oral argument before the Supreme Court? Look to the excellent Oyez multimedia website maintained by the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.